Don’t be afraid to seek second opinion to get the answers you need.

Trust — it’s such a tricky, but critical concept in life. Think of the handyman fixing your dishwasher. The estimate to clean your flooded basement. Or what about the doctor who’s about to deliver your firstborn? The value of trust in our everyday lives can’t be underestimated.

Let’s say you’re in your car, running errands, and suddenly you hear some loud noises that don’t sound very good. You pull to the side of U.S. 41. Picture your car just having been towed to the nearest and only available car repair shop in town. At 4 p.m. on a Saturday. With all three kids in tow.

Whether the estimate is $1,000 or the mechanic says it’s nothing at all and it’s now safe to drive, trust is an integral ingredient in any decision-making process when your life, safety, and financial future are at risk.

Now imagine sitting in your doctor’s office. You’ve had chest pain, palpitations and who knows what else. Your test results come back negative. Your doctor is saying your heart is just fine. But you recognize that squeezing chest pain that goes on for hours, even after you rest, as something else very real and a bit alarming.

You can no longer run your usual three miles a day and have skipped lifting weights because of it. Do you trust what your doctor says and walk out of the office, assured that all is well? But what about the lingering feeling that something is still wrong? After all, you have never had this chest pain before, and it seems to make you short of breath.

Is it likely to happen again? Then what will you do? Clearly, this is something, and you still don’t know what it is or what to do about it.

Should you get a second opinion? Did your doctor run every test? You’re wondering, if the tests are all normal, shouldn’t my chest pain be gone? This doctor seems to know what he’s doing, but what if he’s missing something?

Whether fixing your car, replacing your gutters or if you have an unresolved health problem, the best advice is to trust your gut, ask lots of questions and, if something is off or if there are any doubts in your mind, don’t hesitate to get a second opinion.

We do this all the time for items or service work we quote for purchase, but for some reason, we’re very hesitant to do this when our health is in jeopardy. While not all symptoms of the body can be perfectly explained — after all, while we’re highly advanced in medicine, there’s still much more to learn about the body — no one medical provider is infallible.

Don’t think twice about getting that second opinion or, at a minimum, writing down all of your questions and asking each one until you’re satisfied with the explanation.

Maybe the answer is that the big stuff has been ruled out and here’s something you can try if the symptoms return. Or we don’t know exactly why this is happening, but here’s what we know works for patients with symptoms such as yours. Or maybe the answer is that further investigation or testing can be done, here are your results, here’s your diagnosis and here’s what we can do about it when you do get that second opinion.

Regardless of the means of getting there, don’t give up on finding the answers if you still have burning questions, ongoing symptoms or until you feel content and at ease with your treatment plan.

Good health-care providers aren’t offended or get upset when you’re not satisfied with their answers and will support your desire to gather further opinions to feel more satisfied with your care.

And while it may not mean the difference between life and death — or it could — it will make all the difference in your quality of life. And that counts for a lot.

— Jill Murphy is a Neenah resident. She can be reached at pcletters@postcrescent.com